Apparatus and method for rolling pharmaceutical strips

ABSTRACT

A pharmaceutical strip into winder includes a variable speed electric drive driving rotation of a forked spindle mounted thereto wherein the forked spindle includes a strip receiving slot formed in and along the spindle, a foot operable remote actuator remote from and cooperating with the electric drive, wherein operation by a user of the remote actuator selectively rotates the spindle at a speed of revolution which is selectively controllable by the user to provide for counting by the user of individual pharmaceutical products carried in spaced apart array along the pharmaceutical strip. The pharmaceutical strip is wound onto the spindle to form a roll.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of devices for rolling or windingelongate, relatively thin and flexible strips or sheets and inparticular to an apparatus for rolling such strips or sheets whichcontain, in spaced apart array therealong, individually packaged orsegregated pharmaceuticals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Retail pharmacies are typically supplied from pharmacy warehouses.Pharmaceuticals are sometimes supplied from the warehouse in long stripsor sheets of individual blister-pack or otherwise segregatedcompartments or packets linked together end-to-end. Sometimes thepharmaceutical strips are for example four rows wide and between fifteenand thirty feet long and come in several different sizes. Presently theconventional way to ship such strips or sheets of individually packagedpharmaceuticals is to manually roll up the strip or sheet and to thenship the roll or sheet to the retail pharmacy.

As applicant understands it, in certain jurisdictions the regulationsgoverning pharmacy and pharmacy warehouses require that eachpharmaceutical technician that handles the pharmaceuticals, for exampleeither in shipping or receiving, must account for the type and quantityof the drugs being handled. Thus, each time a pharmaceutical techniciantouches the drugs, the drugs have to be counted and re-rolled forstorage or shipment or for some other step in the supply chain.Consequently, the labour cost for the initial manual rolling, and forthe re-counting and manual re-rolling of the pharmaceutical strips,increases the overhead burden of the supply chain and may, at least withemployees whose sole job it is to manually roll pharmaceutical strips,cause repetitive strain-type injury.

Consequently what is required, and it is one object to provide, is avariable speed electric drive driving a spindle on to which mounts apharmaceutical strip, for example at one end of the pharmaceuticalstrip, wherein the speed of the electric motor may be selectively variedby a user, advantageously by the use of a foot pedal, so to allowhands-free driven rotation of the spindle so as to roll onto the spindlea pharmaceutical strip. The variable speed of rotation of the spindleprovides advantages to the user, for example providing for ease ofhandling of the roll, or allowing for the user to count thepharmaceutical packets as the pharmaceutical strip is rolled on to thespindle.

In the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,618, whichissued to Reinke on Jun. 23, 1970, for a Bandage Winder, wherein Reinkediscloses the use of a longitudinally elongated and tapered winding forkmounted to an electric motor for rotation of the winding fork so as toengage a bandage in the slot in the fork for rolling of the bandage. Thewinding fork is a continuation of an output shaft extending laterallyfrom a reduction gear head which receives power input from an electricmotor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, the method and apparatus for rolling pharmaceutical stripsaccording to one aspect of the present invention may be characterized asincluding a selectively driven variable speed winder having a windingfork containing in one embodiment a longitudinal slot in the fork forreceiving therein a pharmaceutical strip or sheet (hereinaftercollectively referred to as “strip”), whereby the strip may be wound onto the winding fork when the winding fork is selectively rotated. Thewinding fork is selectively rotated by a variable speed electrical drivehaving a remote control variable speed actuator.

The slot in the winding fork is open at the distal end of the fork, thatis, the end of the fork opposite from the drive motor. The slot issubstantially uniform in size along the length of the fork. The actualopening size of the slot is sufficiently large to accept the webthickness of the pharmaceutical strip, that is, the thickness of thestrip at its thinnest, which is typically located between the blisterpacks or packets containing the pharmaceutical products. Thus thepharmaceutical strip is retained by the slot snugly receiving thepharmaceutical strip web into the slot so that the adjacent thickerblister pack does not pull through the slot. This then secures thepharmaceutical strip as the winding fork is rotated about itslongitudinal axis for rolling the pharmaceutical strip into a roll forstorage and shipping.

In one embodiment, the electric motor is supported on a rigid base.Advantageously, the electric motor is a variable speed motor such as forexample employed in electric hand-operated drills so that the speed ofrevolution of the drive shaft extending from the motor may be varied bya user according to remote control inputs from the user. The inputs fromthe user may for example include a foot operated pedal which changes therotation speed of the motor depending of the position of the pedal ascontrolled by the user. The drive shaft or output shaft of the electricmotor is connected to or mounted to the base end of the winding fork.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying illustrations forming part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts in each view:

FIG. 1 is, in top perspective view, one example of a pharmaceuticalstrip winder wherein the variable speed electric drive rotating theslotted spindle is provided by an electric hand drill rigidly mounted toa base frame.

FIG. 2 is, in perspective view, one example of a foot pedal whichcooperates with the variable speed electric drive for remote variableactuation of the rotation of the spindle while winding on apharmaceutical strip so as to form a roll.

FIG. 3 is, in top perspective view, a pharmaceutical strip winderwherein the electric drive is encased in a rigid housing and only theslotted spindle protrudes therefrom.

FIG. 4 a is, in plan view, a partially cut away length of apharmaceutical strip showing by way of example individual pharmaceuticalproducts carried within blisters on a perforated linear strip of web.

FIG. 4 b is the view of FIG. 4 a in side elevation.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the winding on of a pharmaceuticalstrip so as to form a roll about the rotating forked spindle on whichthe pharmaceutical strip is mounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, electric drive 10 is provided by hand drill 12. Hand drill 12is merely representative of variable speed electric motors generally,which are commercially available and may be substituted for hand drill12 as would be known to one skilled in the art. Electric drive 10, asexemplified by hand drill 12, has an output shaft 14 to which is mounteda spindle 16 having a slot 18 extending substantially the entire lengththereof. Slot 18 may in one embodiment have a uniform slot width “d”,where it is understood that slot 18 extends completely through thediameter of spindle 16. Slot 18 has a distal end 18 a which is open, andopposite base end 18 b which is mounted to output shaft 14. Output shaft14 and spindle 16 are coaxial on axis of rotation A.

Power is supplied to hand drill 12 by electrical cord 12 a. In FIG. 1,which is not intended to be limiting, hand drill 12 is held rigidly onbase 20 by means of a pair of rigid struts 22 which are bolted to theouter casing of hand drill 12. Output shaft 14 in the prototype of FIG.1 is mounted to chuck 24 and supported for rotation in bearing housing26. Bearing housing 26 is mounted to support wall 28 which itself isbraced by braces 30 mounted to base 20.

Spindle 16 may have a stub axle (not shown) which is mounted into chuck24 and secured therein. Hand drill 12 has trigger 12 b which whendepressed in the conventional manner energizes electric motor 12 causingrotation of output shaft 14. Rotation of output shaft 14 results inrotation of spindle 16 in direction B about axis of rotation A.

Electrical cord 12 a is electrically connected to foot pedal 12 d, seenin FIG. 2. Foot petal 12 d is electrically connected (not shown) tomains power. A user depressing foot pedal 12 d in direction C causes adownward rotation of pedal deck 12 e against the return biasing force ofa resilient spring (not shown) mounted in the foot pedal 12 e. Theamount of power supplied to hand drill 12 is regulated by a userdepressing deck 12 e, so that the greater the deflection downwardly, thegreater the power supplied to hand drill 12, and consequently thegreater the rotational speed of output shaft 14 and spindle 16 indirection B. Because the power is regulated by foot pedal 12 d, andbecause in the prototype the electric drive is supplied by hand drill12, trigger 12 b, which in the ordinary operation of hand drill 12 wouldbe progressively depressed to regulate the power to the electric motorwithin the hand drill, is maintained fully depressed by clamping bracket12 c.

As seen in FIG. 3 electric drive 10 may be housed within housing 32 andrigidly mounted therein by means of further bracing or brackets (notshown) as would be known by one skilled in the art. Advantageously, theinterior of housing 32 may be insulated to reduce noise and vibration.Output shaft 14 or a stub shaft (not shown) extending between spindle 16and output shaft 14 is journalled through side wall 32 a and inparticular through bearing housing 26. Bearing housing 26 is mounted toside wall 32 a by the bolting of flange 26 a to side wall 32 a.

One example of a form of pharmaceutical strip 34 is shown in the segmentof FIGS. 4 a and 4 b. Thus individual tablets, pills or otherpharmaceutical drugs or products 36 are contained in individual blisters38 carried on or in sheet-like web 40. Web 40 may be transverselysegmented by perforated lines 42 so that individual blisters 38 may beseparated from one another. As would be known to one skilled in the art,blisters 38 may merely be individual packets or sleeves or envelopesjoined along a perforated line 42 so as to provide an elongatepharmaceutical strip 34. Multiple rows of pharmaceutical strips 34 maybe joined side-by-side with one another. For example four rows ofpharmaceutical strips 34 may form a single elongate sheet for ease ofbulk shipping.

In operation, with the web 40 of pharmaceutical strip 34 slid into andalong slot 18 in spindle 16, the user actuating foot pedal 12 d causesspindle 16 to rotate in direction B as seen in FIG. 5 so as to therebywind-on the pharmaceutical strip 34 onto spindle 16. As thepharmaceutical strip is wound on to spindle 16, the user regulates thespeed of rotation of spindle 16 so as to wind on the pharmaceuticalstrip at a comfortable speed allowing the user to count thepharmaceuticals 36 as the roll 34 a, shown in dotted outline, expands indiameter as more of pharmaceutical strip 34 is wound-on or entrained indirection D.

The useful speed of rotation while a user is winding-on pharmaceuticalstrip 34 would be for example in the range of 0 to 150 rpm. Thisprovides for ease of handling of the roll as the strip is wound-on, andprovides other advantages such as, for example, in the event the usercounts the drugs as the strip is winding-on to form the roll. Otheradvantages would be apparent to the user or to those skilled in the art.The variable speed of electric drive 10, as regulated by a remote footcontrolled actuator such as foot pedal 12 d, is important as the usermay want to control the speed of rotation to effectively handle the rollas it relatively builds roll 34 a during counting of the drugs 36, butmay also have need for a high speed winding-on of pharmaceutical strip34 in certain instances. Advantageously, the entire range of rpm speedsof rotation of spindle 16 are available by the operation of foot pedal12 d depending on the extent of depression of the foot pedal deck. Thewinding-on of the strip 334 by the user may be performed by as simple anoperation as the user holding pharmaceutical strip 34 as web 40 slidesover the user's palm.

A typical dimension of the width “w” may be in the order ofapproximately 3 inches and the length “l” may be in the order of alsoapproximately 3 inches. Each individual pharmaceutical drug, pill ortablet 36 may for example have a height dimension of approximately forexample ¼ inch and therefore the height of each corresponding blister 38may also be approximately ¼ inch.

Applicant has found where for example spindle 16 is made of steel, it ispreferred that the shaft of spindle 16, that is, the outer cylindricalsurface, is polished so as to avoid pharmaceutical strip 34 rolling ontoo tightly on to spindle 16 during forming of roll 34 a. In oneembodiment, not intending to be limited, the diameter of spindle 16 isapproximately 5/8 of an inch although other diameters of spindle 16would also work, and the width the opening of slot 18, whichadvantageously is of uniform dimension along the length spindle 16, maybe approximately 1/8 of an inch although again this is not intending tobe limiting and would also work where the slot is merely smaller thanthe height of blisters 38.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theforegoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible inthe practice of this invention without departing from the spirit orscope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to beconstrued in accordance with the substance defined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for winding a pharmaceutical stripinto a roll, the apparatus comprising: a variable speed electric drivehaving an output shaft, a spindle mounted to said output shaft so as tobe substantially co-axial therewith, and co-axial with an axis ofrotation of said output shaft, a strip receiving slot formed in andalong said spindle and sized to receive one end of the strip therein, afoot operable remote actuator remote from and cooperating with saidelectric drive, wherein operation by a user of said remote actuatorselectively operates said electric drive and rotates said output shaftat a speed of revolution of said output shaft about said axis ofrotation which is selectively controllable by the user as thepharmaceutical strip is wound onto said spindle so as form the roll. 2.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spindle is cylindrical.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 wherein said spindle has a base end mounted to saidoutput shaft and an opposite distal end, opposite to said base end, andwherein said slot terminates at an open end of said slot at said distalend of said spindle.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said spindlehas a long length and wherein said slot extends substantially completelyalong said length.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said slot has anopening width, and wherein said opening width is substantially constantalong said length.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said slotintersects said axis of rotation.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 whereinsaid axis of rotation bisects said slot.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6wherein the pharmaceutical strip has a web having a web thickness theweb having packets formed there along, and wherein the pharmaceuticalproducts are contained in the packets so that the packets have a packetthickness which is greater than the web thickness, and wherein said slotwidth is greater than the web thickness but less than the packetthickness.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said remote actuator is afoot pedal.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said foot pedalselectively actuates and controls said speed of revolution of saidoutput shaft within an RPM range of substantially 0 to 150 RPM.
 11. Amethod for winding a pharmaceutical strip into a roll using theapparatus of claim 1, the method comprising: a) providing said variablespeed electric drive, b) inserting said one end of the strip into saidslot, c) actuating said remote actuator to selectively operate saidelectric drive and rotate said output shaft at a speed of revolution ofsaid output shaft about said axis of rotation, d) selectivelycontrolling said speed of revolution to allow counting of individualpharmaceutical products carried in spaced apart array along thepharmaceutical strip, e) winding the pharmaceutical strip onto saidspindle so as form the roll.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein saidspindle is cylindrical.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said spindlehas a base end mounted to said output shaft and an opposite distal end,opposite to said base end, and wherein said slot terminates at an openend of said slot at said distal end of said spindle.
 14. The method ofclaim 13 wherein said spindle has a long length and wherein said slotextends substantially completely along said length.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 wherein said slot has an opening width, and wherein saidopening width is substantially constant along said length.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 wherein said slot intersects said axis of rotation.17. The method of claim 16 wherein said axis of rotation bisects saidslot.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the pharmaceutical strip has aweb having a web thickness the web having packets formed there along,and wherein the pharmaceutical products are contained in the packets sothat the packets have a packet thickness which is greater than the webthickness, and wherein said slot width is greater than the web thicknessbut less than the packet thickness.
 19. The method of claim 18 whereinsaid remote actuator is a foot pedal.
 20. The method of claim 19 whereinsaid foot pedal selectively actuates and controls said speed ofrevolution of said output shaft within an RPM range of substantially 0to 150 RPM.